With winter season starting, ice and snow on the roads are going to get more severe. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, you are 36 percent more likely to be in a car accident in January than July, especially with all the new inexperienced drivers around Northeast.
According to CNN News there are many different tips and tricks to driving safe during the winter. The first tip was to keep a full tank of gas. If you cannot keep a full tank, it is recommended to keep at least a quarter tank. This helps to prevent gas line free-up. It also helps, if you ever break down or have a complication with your car, you can keep your car running to stay warm. You also should have a winter kit prepared in your car for emergencies like this. In the emergency kit they recommended keeping food that will not spoil, water in plastic bottles, blankets, extra clothes and shoes, a small shovel, scraper, and snowbrush, candles, flashlights, and lastly, a whistle.
To keep from having those complications, CNN also recommended to check tire pressure frequently, to always drive with your lights on, and to refrain from using cruise control. Also, it is even more important to stay off your phone and limit other distractions while driving. Be sure to pay close attention to the roads and never get behind the wheel if you feel fatigued.
AAA’s website had many specific tips to driving in snow and driving long distances. The most obvious tip was to drive slow, accelerating, decelerating, and turning all happens slower than on dry pavement. Especially on hills they recommended easing up on the gas pedal and never stopping. Also, increasing your following distance will help prevent accidents.
On top of just tips, there are many sites that prove evidence on “winter myths” that are far from true. According to Theglobeandmail.com, the biggest myth is that if you hit black ice there is nothing you can do. They recommended looking straight down the road at where you need to go, and maintain a light grip on the wheel. As your car begins to decelerate, you will start to regain control. Another main point was to never lock your wheels, although this helps to stop, you lose all control of your steering.
Kelley Blue Book, a site to look up different cars and their benefits and prices, came out with a list of the top ten cars for winter driving. Coming in at number one, was the 2013 Audi Allroad. They described it as an all-wheel drive vehicle with a lower center of gravity compared to similarly sized crossovers.
Remember to always buckle up and drive safe on the roads. St